Occupied! Newport and the Fight for Independence

During the Revolutionary War, Newport, Rhode Island, changed hands more than any other major seaport in North America. Valued for its deep-water harbor and strategic location, successive Continental, British, and French forces occupied the town during the conflict. At the outbreak of the war, Revolutionary forces seized control of a divided community. In December 1776 British forces occupied Aquidneck Island, and for three years Newport was again part of the British Empire until their departure in October 1779. Arriving in July 1780, Newport hosted a French force sent across the Atlantic to support the fledgling United States. In June 1781, those troops departed Rhode Island for Yorktown, Virginia, where they played a pivotal role in the decisive battle that secured American independence. 

Each successive occupation left a mark. In less than a decade, Newport went from a prosperous and growing colonial port to an impoverished seaside town. Every tree on Aquidneck Island was cut down for fuel, and the armies tore down dozens of houses and acres of fences to feed its campfires. Still more buildings bore scars from repeated bombardments by the British, Continental, and French navies.

The people of Newport also found themselves forever changed. Many of those who supported independence found that revolutionary rule did not always live up to its promise, while many who supported the crown became disillusioned after seeing how the King’s troops treated their friends and neighbors. Others seized the opportunities that came with military rule, benefiting from business opportunities that came with the occupying forces or making use of the chaos for social advancement. Many lifelong residents left the town forever in the face of the hardships brought on by occupation. These wartime experiences would have lasting consequences as Newporters rebuilt their lives and their town in the wake of the Revolution.

The NEH grant-supported exhibition OCCUPIED! Newport and the Fight for Independence is on view through the end of 2026, at the Newport Historical Society.